As you move through Mirkwood, hounded by spiders, the forest path forks before you...
Forced: When you defeat this stage, proceed to one of the 2 "A Chosen Path" stages, at random.
Unsure of what lies ahead but spurred by the urgency of your message, you choose a path and proceed...
The ring Frodo Baggins inherited from his uncle Bilbo is indeed The One Ring. After conferring with the wizard Gandalf, Frodo decides to leave the Shire and take the ring to Rivendell.
Setup: Set Buckleberry Ferry aside, out of play. Add 1 Black Rider to the staging area and make Bag End the active location. Shuffle the encounter deck.
When a player fails a Hide test, each Nazgûl enemy in the staging area engages that player. (Trigger Forced effects after resolving this effect.)
The player cannot advance unless Bag End is in the victory display.
Frodo's friend insist on joining him in his adventure, but danger finds them sooner than anticipated when Black Riders appear in the Shire.
As you move through Mirkwood, hounded by spiders, the forest path forks before you...
Forced: When you defeat this stage, proceed to one of the 2 "A Chosen Path" stages, at random.
Unsure of what lies ahead but spurred by the urgency of your message, you choose a path and proceed...
You approach the Carrock, and find that the Trolls have been watching you from the top of the rocky river landmark. As you approach, the Trolls close in and attack!
When Revealed: Place the unique Troll cards previously set aside into the staging area.
Players cannot defeat this stage if there are any Troll enemies in play.
The hunt for Gollum has led you to the south, and you are now approaching Rauros falls and the nearby hills of Emyn Muil...
Setup: Search the encounter deck for Amon Hen and Amon Lhaw, and add them to the staging area. Then shuffle the encounter deck.
You are certain that Gollum has fled into the area, and you must explore until you find the fresh trail.
Forced: If there are no location cards in the staging area, the first treachery card revealed during the quest phase gains surge.
Players cannot defeat this stage until there are no Emyn Muil locations in play, and they have collected at least 20 victory points.
After a tiring pursuit through the treacherous marshland, you have cornered Gollum, and move in for the capture.
Forced: After this stage is defeated, the first player chooses a player. That player must pass an Escape test, dealing 1 card from the encounter deck for each resource token on Gollum, to capture him. If Gollum is not captured at this time, reset the quest deck to stage 1B.
If this final Escape test is passed, the players have captured Gollum and won the game.
As soon as he thinks that no one is watching, Gollum attempts to slip his bonds and escape.
As you make the final push to Thranduil's Palace, your enemies make a desperate attempt to ambush your party, and seize Gollum for themselves.
Forced: At the beginning of the combat phase, all enemies in play engage the player guarding Gollum.
Players cannot defeat this stage if there are any enemies in play. If players defeat this stage, they have won the game.
As the presence draws near, doubt and fear surround you like a vast shadow. You must find daylight, you must escape from the Black Pit...
While Search for an Exit is the active quest card, only flip it to side 2B at the beginning of the staging step.
It looks like you may have to head back up the other way.
Forced: If Heading Up is in the player's victory display at the end of any quest phase, shuffle Heading Up back into the quest deck.
Players may bypass this quest card at the end of the combat phase.
As the presence draws near, doubt and fear surround you like a vast shadow. You must find daylight, you must escape from the Black Pit...
While Search for an Exit is the active quest card, only flip it to side 2B at the beginning of the staging step.
This is a dangerous part of the Mines.
When Revealed: Reveal 1 encounter card per players, and add it to the staging area.
Players may bypass this quest at the end of the combat phase.
As the presence draws near, doubt and fear surround you like a vast shadow. You must find daylight, you must escape from the Black Pit...
While Search for an Exit is the active quest card, only flip it to side 2B at the beginning of the staging step.
When Revealed: Each player chooses 1 questing character he controls. Each questing character not chosen does not count its 
until the end of the turn.
Forced: After placing the 1st progress token on Narrow Paths, search the encounter deck and discard pile for Abandoned Tools and add it to the staging area, if able.
Players may bypass this quest card at the end of the combat phase.
As the presence draws near, doubt and fear surround you like a vast shadow. You must find daylight, you must escape from the Black Pit...
While Search for an Exit is the active quest card, only flip it to side 2B at the beginning of the staging step.
There is a weakness in the walls. You can practically taste the freedom beyond.
Abandoned Tools gains:
Refresh Action: Exhaust attached hero to put a progress token on Escape from Darkness.
Players may bypass this quest card at the end of the combat phase.
Progress tokens cannot be placed on Escape from Darkness except by Abandoned Tools. If the players defeat this stage, they escape and win the game.
The others swung round and saw the waters of the lake seething, as if a host of snakes were swimming up from the southern end.
–The Fellowship of the Ring
The Doors of Durin are blocked by an ancient spell. You must figure out a way into the mines before the Seething bog and its Watcher consumes you all.
When Revealed: Add The Watcher to the staging area. Doors of Durin becomes the active location, moving any previous active location to the staging area. Shuffle all Tentacle cards in the encounter discard pile back into the encounter deck.
If the players have at least 3 victory points and defeat this stage, they have won the game.
The river has deposited you at...
When Revealed: Create you own staging area. Reveal 4 cards from the encounter deck and add them to your staging area.
Forced: After the 5th progress token is placed on Below the Mines, join another player at the beginning of the travel phase. If you cannot join another player, all players continue on to stage 5 together.
There is a crumbling pile of boulders on the edge of a teetering cliff, and it gives you a sudden idea. There are chasms and pits along the path you are traveling, and perhaps a well-timed rockslide could send the Balrog down into the depths below...
When Revealed: Durin's Bane makes an immediate attack on the first player. Add Dark Pit to the staging area.
Players cannot win the game while Durin's Bane is in play. If Durin's Bane leaves play by the effect on Dark Pit, the players have won the game.
Orc scramblers have infiltrated the island and climbed over the walls. They fought to the western gate, and the gate fell. Now a new host of enemies that were lying in wait are breaching the Citadel itself!
Siege. (Characters quest using 
instead of .)
Breakthrough at the Citadel adds 5 
to the staging area.
When Revealed: Add Hallowed Circle to the staging area. Reveal each Guardian enemy in the victory display, adding them to the staging area.
You have finally completed the trials and recovered each key. None have made it this far before. You hasten to the hallowed circle in the center of the forest. All that's left is to insert the hilts of these swords into the marked stone the shaman described, and the Antlered Crown will be yours. As you advance, a thick fog gathers around you and growing dread tugs at your mind.
EachGuardian enemy engages the player who controls the Key objective with a Trait shared by that enemy.
Players cannot defeat this stage unless Hallowed Circle is in the victory display. If the players defeat this stage, they win the game.
Out of the fog, the angry guardian spirits emerge once more, determined to stop you from retrieving the crown. You desperately rush to the circle while fending them off.
You cannot go on like this. You must do something to discourage the Wargs from pursuing you further.
When Revealed: Flip the Time objective to Nightfall. Add Pack Leader to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter discard pile into the encounter deck. Discard cards from the top of the encounter deck until X Warg enemies are discarded. X is 1 less than the number of players in the game. Add each discarded enemy to the staging area.
If you can defeat the alpha mail, that will scatter the pack...
Pack Leader cannot take damage unless there are at least 5 progress tokens on this stage.
Forced: When it becomes Day, discard all progress from this stage.
The players cannot defeat this stage while Pack Leader is in play. If Pack Leader is destroyed, the players win the game.
Calphon squints at dark storm clouds on the horizon. "In my dream, the skies were dark and full of wrath... Perhaps the island lies within that squall?"
You hesitate. Guiding your ship into a deadly storm is foolish, at best... But what if he’s right?
When Revealed: Search the encounter deck and discard pile for 1 copy of Waterspout and add it to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
Forced: At the end of the quest phase, if you are off-course (
, 
, or 
), each player must distribute 5 damage among characters he controls.
When this stage is defeated, if you are on-course (
), look at the top 2 stages of the quest deck and advance to one of your choice, placing the other on the bottom of the quest deck. Otherwise, advance to the top stage of the quest deck.
Calphon bursts into one of the heroes’ quarters in the middle of the night, sweating profusely and breathing heavily. “I saw it again!” he cries. “It was the same island as before, only the sun was rising behind it, bathing the sky in orange. It must be to the east!” You can change course to follow Calphon’s vision, but you risk being discovered by the Corsairs chasing you...
When Revealed: Search the encounter deck and discard pile for 1 copy of Scouting Ship and add it to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
While you are off-course (, , or ), each Ship enemy gains Boarding 1.
When this stage is defeated, if you are on-course (), look at the top 2 stages of the quest deck and advance to one of your choice, placing the other on the bottom of the quest deck. Otherwise, advance to the top stage of the quest deck.
Calphon recognizes a bright star in the night sky, pointing to it. "There! That star! I remember that star from my vision. I believe we must follow that star if we are to reach the island." Calphon’s guidance has led you this far. But none of your maps or almanacs make any mention of this bright star...
When Revealed: Search the encounter deck and discard pile for 1 copy of Starlit Sea and add it to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
While you are off-course (, , or ), each Ocean location gets +1 .
When this stage is defeated, if you are on-course (), look at the top 2 stages of the quest deck and advance to one of your choice, placing the other on the bottom of the quest deck. Otherwise, advance to the top stage of the quest deck.
Swinging across on ropes, your company boards the Stormcaller, and a fierce battle ensues!
Setup: Build the encounter deck using only The Stormcaller and Corsair Raiders encounter sets, setting The Thing in the Depths and The Stormcaller Elite encounter sets aside, out of play (enemy side faceup). Search the encounter deck for Helm of the Stormcaller and 1 copy of Umbar Raider and add them to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
Captain Sahír and Na'asiyah gain indestructible.
Forced: At the end of the round, if Captain Sahír and Na'asiyah are not in play, add 1 resource to each of them.
Progress cannot be placed on this stage unless Helm of the Stormcaller is in the victory display.
"You have to go after Sahír!" Imrahil yells as the battle rages on. "We will finish this fight!"
When Revealed: The players make engagement checks against each enemy in the staging area. Raider Flagship gets -50 engagement cost during these engagement checks.
Raider Flagship gets -50 engagement cost.
Break Through the Fleet! has +5 quest points for each Ship enemy in play.
If this stage is defeated, or if Raider Flagship is in the victory display, the players have broken through the Corsair fleet and win the game!
Still weary from the long journey across the desert, your companions are somewhere in the village. In your weakened state you are no match for the attacking Orcs. Your only chance to survive is to flee into the jungle, but you will not abandon your friends.
Damage from undefended attacks must be dealt to a hero in the staging area, if able.
The first card each player plays each phase does not require a resource match.
Forced: When this stage is defeated, each player chooses a hero he owns in the staging area, takes control of that hero, and exhausts it.
Several members of your group were seized by spiders in the night and dragged away from camp. When the sun came up, you followed their trail to a large cavern entrance and entered in.
Setup: Set Brood Mother aside, out of play. Add the Search objective to the staging area (Off Track face up).
Inside the cavern entrance you find a large maze of tunnels criss–crossed with all manner of prints. It is impossible to discern which are the tracks you seek, so you begin to search all around.
When Revealed: Discard cards from the encounter deck until X locations are discarded, where X is the number of players. Add each location discarded by this effect to the staging area.
It is hard to keep your way in the dark labyrinth, but you are certain that you are headed in the right direction.
When Revealed: Flip the Search objective to Off Track. Shuffle the encounter discard pile into the encounter deck and discard cards from the top until X enemies are discarded, where X is the number of players. Add each enemy discarded by this effect to the staging area.
Cobwebs line the cavern walls and the spiders are growing more aggressive. You must be getting closer to their colony.
While On Track is in play, encounter card effects cannot be canceled.
Your search has led you far underground, to a large cavern full of giant spider eggs. Along the walls, you see the cocooned bodies of your friends bound with many strands. At the center of the chamber is the enormous brood mother. She glares at you through many bulbous eyes and a poisonous froth bubbles from her fangs. You must find a way to defeat her in order to rescue your friends.
When Revealed: The first player adds Brood Mother to the staging area. Each other player reveals an encounter card. Flip the Search objective to Off Track.
While there are at least 5 progress tokens on this stage, Brood Mother loses the text: "Cannot take damage."
Forced: After the Search objective is flipped to Off Track, remove all progress tokens from this stage.
This stage cannot be defeated while Brood Mother is in play. If the players defeat this stage, they win the game.
Dark, black smoke rises above the trees in the distance. As you draw nearer to the rising cloud, you hear the cry of Orc voices, the howling of Wargs, and the ring of steel. A small group of Woodmen fight desperately to defend their village from a vicious attack. You rush to their aid.
When Revealed: The first player adds Woodman Village to the staging area. Each other player reveals an encounter card.
No more than 1 progress can be placed on each location in the staging area each round.
Forced: After the players travel to a location, add the top card of the Evil Creatures deck to the staging area.
The players cannot defeat this stage unless the first player controls Haldan.
Grateful for your help, one of the Woodmen offers to journey with you to The Old Ford. He wants to warn Grimbeorn of the growing danger, but when you reach the forst you find the Beornings already fighting to defend the passage of the river from dangerous creatures.
When Revealed: The first player adds The Old Ford to the staging area. Each other player adds the top card of the Evil Creatures deck to the staging area.
The players cannot travel toThe Old Ford unless there is at least 5 progress here.
Forced: At the beginning of the quest phase, add the top card of the Evil Creatures deck to the staging area.
This stage cannot be defeated while The Old Ford is in play. When The Old Ford is explored, the players win the game.
You've followed the Dragon tracks high up the Ered Mithrin mountain range to a sheltered hollow where you find the beast waiting for you. It lets out a roar that shakes the mountain, and rocks tumble down as it charges toward you in a rage!
When Revealed: Add the set-aside Cold-Drake to the staging area.
Ignore the Deep. keyword.
Cold-Drake cannot leave the staging area (even if it has damage equal to its hit points), but it is considered to be engaged with each player.
No more than 6 damage can be placed on Cold-Drake each round and it cannot have more than 18 damage.
This stage cannot be defeated while Cold-Drake has any hit points remaining.
Urdug's friend, Tiny, turns out to be an enormous Hill–troll. You find him trapped in a deep bog and Urdug begs you to help rescue him.
The 'when revealed' effects of treachery cards cannot be canceled.
Forced: When the players defeat this stage, remove it from the game. Advance to a random stage 2A, if able. Otherwise, advance to stage 3A.
The players cannot travel to the Grey Moorland guarding Tiny unless there is at least 5 progress on this stage. This stage cannot be defeated unless the first player controls Urdug and Tiny.
You thought Urdug's story about being chased by a Giant sounded funny until you come upon a mean–looking Giant using the Goblin's horn as a tooth–pick. Urdug insists he won't lead you anywhere without that horn.
When Revealed: The first player searches the encounter deck, discard pile, and victory display for a Grey Mountain Giant adds it to the staging area, and attaches the set-aside Urdug's Horn to it as a guarded objective. Shuffle the encounter deck. Each other player reveals an encounter card.
Each enemy with 1 or more guarded attachments gets +2 and +2
Forced: When the players defeat this stage, remove it from the game. Advance to a random stage 2A, if able. Otherwise, advane to stage 3A.
The Grey Mountain Giant guarding Urdug's Horn cannot take damage unless there is at least 5 progress on this stage. This stage cannot be defeated unless the first player controls Urdug with Urdug's Horn attached.
You have your doubts about Durin's Key, as well as Urdug, but the Goblin insists he dropped it in a ravine as he was fleeing for his life. You follow him as he retraces his steps back to the ravine.
When Revealed: The first player searches the encounter deck, discrd pile, and victory display for a Deep Ravine, adds it to the staging area, and attaches the set-aside Durin's Key to it as a guarded objective. Shuffle the encounter deck. Each player reveals an encounter card.
Each encounter card guarding a card is immune to player card effects.
Forced: When the players defeat this stage, remove it from the game. Advance to a random stage 2A, if able. Otherwise, advance to stage 3A.
The players cannot travel to the Deep Ravine guarding Durin's Key unless there is at least 5 progress on this stage. This stage cannot be defeated unless the players control Urdug and Durin's Key.
You suspected Urdug would betray you once you gathered the things he required, so you're not surprised when he and Tiny try to sneak away in the night. Urdug hisses at Tiny to keep quiet, but the lumbering Troll is about as subtle as a thunder storm. You grab your weapons and chase after them.
When Revealed: The first player loses control of both Urdug and Tiny, flips them to their enemy sides, and adds them to the staging area. (Remove any damage that was one them.) Each other player reveals an encounter card.
Progress cannot be placed on this quest from questing successfully.
Forced: When the players quest unsuccessfully, they do not raise their threat. Instead, place X progress here, where X is the amount by which they would have raised their threat. Then, if this stage has progress equal to its quest points, the player lose the game.
When Urdug has no hit points remaining, the players win the game.
The interior of Gundabad is dark and vast. Only by exploring the mines can you find your way.
When Revealed: Return Dagnir to the staging area.
If Exploring Gundabad is the current main quest, do not flip it over until the beginning of the quest phase.
Forced: After characters are committed to the quest, raise each player's threat by 1.
Forced: When this stage is defeated, shuffle The First Forge into the Caves deck.
At the end of the combat phase, the players may bypass this stage.
The interior of Gundabad is dark and vast. Only by exploring the mines can you find your way.
When Revealed: Return Dagnir to the staging area.
If Exploring Gundabad is the current main quest, do not flip it over until the beginning of the quest phase.
The 'when revealed' effects of the first treachery revealed each round cannot be canceled.
Forced: When this stage is defeated, search the Caves deck for a location and make it the active location. Shuffle the Caves deck.
At the end of the combat phase, the players may bypass this stage.
The interior of Gundabad is dark and vast. Only by exploring the mines can you find your way.
When Revealed: Return Dagnir to the staging area.
If Exploring Gundabad is the current main quest, do not flip it over until the beginning of the quest phase.
Forced: After characters are committed to the quest, discard the top 5 cards of the encounter deck. Add a random enemy discarded this way to the staging area.
Forced: When this stage is defeated, reduce each player's threat by 5.
At the end of the combat phase, the players may bypass this stage.
The interior of Gundabad is dark and vast. Only by exploring the mines can you find your way.
When Revealed: Return Dagnir to the staging area.
If Exploring Gundabad is the current main quest, do not flip it over until the beginning of the quest phase.
Each player cannot play more than 1 card each phase.
Forced: When this stage is defeated, the first player looks at the top 2 cards of the quest deck and chooses 1 to place on the bottom of the quest deck. Then, flip over the top card of the quest deck.
At the end of the combat phase, the players may bypass this stage.
You are traveling south along the River Running on your way to Dorwinion when you are attacked by Easterling raiders in the night. The raiders set fire to your boat, trapping you on the east side of the river, and you are forced to flee south on foot.
Setup: Set Warriors of the East aside, out of play. Add Easterling Pursuit and 1 copy of River Running to the staging area. Each player adds 1 different Easterling enemy to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
Your only hope is to reach the safety of Dorwinion by the Crossing of Araw before your Easterling pursuers overtake you.
This stage gets +5 quest points per player.
Add +1 to the total threat in the staging area for each resource token on Easterling Pursuit.
A shadow hangs over the capital of Dorwinion. Fear grips the heart of the city on the Sea of Rh–n. People have been disappearing, and it is rumored that a cult of Sauron worshippers are responsible.
Setup: Set each plot objective and each Cultist enemy aside, out of play. Each player searches the encounter deck for a different location and adds it to the staging area. One of those locations must be Side Street. Shuffle the encounter deck.
The people you came to help beg you to uncover the truth of these rumors and rescue their lost loved ones if you can.
Forced: After the active location leaves play as an explored location, place 1 resource here.
This stage cannot be defeated unless there are at least 2 resources here.
Thane Ulchor has returned to Dorwinion at night with an army of Easterlings. His agents within the city slew the guards and opened the gate to let them in. You wake to find battle already raging in the streets.
Setup: Add Thane Ulchor and Gate of Dorwinion to the staging area. Each player adds a different location to the staging area. Make a copy of Makeshift Fortification the active location. Shuffle the enocounter deck.
The stage gets +4 quest points per player. Progess cannot be placed on locations in the staging area by player card effects.
Forced: When a location is explored, the first player takes control of it.
The stage cannot be defeated unless there are more locations under the players' control than in the staging area at the end of the round.
After his defeat in Dorwinion. Ulchor fled east with the remnants of his army. You have pursued him to the City of Ulfast on the southern shore of the Sea of Rh–n. Determined to bring the villain to justice, you sneak into the city at night and begin searching for him.
Setup: Add City Guard to the staging area. Each player adds a different location to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
Ulfast is a city of Easterlings, and they do not take kindly to intruders. You must take care to avoid the city guard as you search about.
City Guard cannot have more than 5 damage, and it gets -5 engagement cost for each resource here.
Forced: At the end of the round, place 1 resource here.
Your quest to defeat Thane Ulchor has brought you to his stronghold in Mordor.
Setup: Player decks cannot exceed 50 cards. Create the Power of Mordor deck (see insert) and set it next to the quest deck. Each player puts 1 copy of Ulchor's Guard into play engaged with him. Add Thane Ulchor and all 4 copies of the Storm the Castle side quest to the staging area. Place the top card of the Power of Mordor deck faceup under each side quest in play. Each player places 8 cards from top of his deck under the quest deck and each side quest in play.
You lead an army of rescued slaves in a surprise attack on Ulchor's fortress.
Thane Ulchor cannot leave the staging area.
While there are at least 3 progress tokens on this stage, it cannot be chosen as the current quest stage during the quest phase.
This stage cannot be defeated unless it is the end of the round and there are 3 Castle side quests in the victory display.
Obviously trolls. Even Bilbo, in spite of his sheltered life, could see that: from the great heavy faces of them, and their size, and the shape of their legs, not to mention their language, which was not drawing–room fashion at all – The Hobbit
When Revealed: Add the set-aside Troll enemies and the Troll Cave to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter discard pile back into the encounter deck.
Forced: If there are no Troll enemies left in play, or if there are no cards left in the encounter deck, advance it to the next stage.
Any time players would place progress tokens on this quest, discard an equal number of cards from the encounter deck instead. (Progress is placed on the active location before triggering this effect.)
Then the battle began. Some of the dwarves had knives, and some had sticks, and all of them could get stones; and Bilbo had his elvish dagger. Again and again the spiders were beaten off, and many of them were killed. But it could not go on for long. –The Hobbit
When Revealed: Add The Spider's Glade to the staging area.
Unconscious characters cannot quest, attack, defend, collect resources, trigger abilities, be poisoned, or ready (except by effects that target unconscious character).
Progress cannot be placed on this stage while The Spider's Glade is in play.
Action: Spend 2
resources to ready an unconscious character you control.
If the players defeat this stage, they have won the game and discovered the treasure card Bilbo's Magic Ring.
The ring Frodo Baggins inherited from his uncle Bilbo is indeed The One Ring. After conferring with the wizard Gandalf, Frodo decides to leave the Shire and take the ring to Rivendell.
Setup: Set Buckleberry Ferry aside, out of play. Add 1 Black Rider to the staging area and make Bag End the active location. Shuffle the encounter deck.
When a player fails a Hide test, each Nazgûl enemy in the staging area engages that player. (Trigger Forced effects after resolving this effect.)
The player cannot advance unless Bag End is in the victory display.
Frodo's friend insist on joining him in his adventure, but danger finds them sooner than anticipated when Black Riders appear in the Shire.
"I see shapes of Men and of horses, and pale banners like shreds of cloud, and spears like winter–thickets on a misty night. The Dead are following." –Legolas, The Return of the King
When Revealed: Add The Stone of Erech and Army of the Dead (enemy side faceup) to the staging area. Each player may raise his threat by 3 to detach Overcome by Fear from his threat dial and set it aside, out of play.
"Yes, the Dead ride behind. They have been summoned." –Elladan, The Return of the King
While Stone of Erech is the active location, each Oathbreaker enemy loses the Phantom keyword and gets -20 engagement cost.
When The Stone of Erech leaves play as an explored location, the players win the game.
"Here will the hammer–stroke fall hardest. And for that reason Mithrandir came hither in such haste. For if we fall, who shall stand?
–Beregond, The Return of the King
Setup: Set Minas Tirith, Grond, The Witch-king, and each copy of Wraith of Wings aside, out of play. Search the encounter deck for a copy of Pelennor Field and make it the active location. Shuffle the encounter deck. The players may attach Esquire of Rohan and Esquire of Gondor to different heroes.
...companies came and were hailed and cheered and passed through the Gate, men of the Outlands marching to defend the City of Gondor in a dark hour.
–The Return of the King
Skip the quest phase and combat phase.
Forced: At the end of the planning phase, place 1 progress here.
...at east the city was besieged, enclosed in a ring of foes. The Rammas was broken, and all the Pelennor was abandoned to the Enemy. –The Return of the King
When Revealed: Each player takes control of each ally he owns in the staging area and exhausts it. The first player adds Minas Tirith, Grond, and The Witch-king (Captain side faceup) to the staging area. Each other player searches the encounter deck and discard pile for a different enemy and adds it to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
...since the middle night the great assault had gone on. –The Return of the King
The White City Besieged gets +4 quest points for each player in the game.
The players cannot travel to Pelennor locations.
Forced: When an enemy is destroyed, place progress on this stage equal to that enemy's total (progress must be placed on the active location first).
Against all odds, the Ring–bearer has found his way into The Black Land of Modor, but a dangerous journey still lies before him and The Eye of Sauron yet searches for the spies who escaped from Cirith Ungol.
Setup: Add Mount Doom and The Tower of Barad-dûr to the staging area. Make Brake of Thorns the active location. Each player searches the encounter deck for a different location and adds it to the staging area. Shuffle the encounter deck.
Fordo and Sam gazed out in mingled loathing and wonder on this hateful land. Between them and the smoking mountain, and about it north and south, all seemed ruinous and dead, a desert burned and choked.
–The Return of the King
Dire. This stage gets +4 quest points for each player.
The first treachery revealed each quest phase is immune to player card effects and gains surge.